Squalo Superbi // KHR! (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sharktrash) wrote2015-08-10 09:28 am
sharktrash) wrote2015-08-10 09:28 am
Entry tags:
Application for Glass Key
➦ PLAYER INFORMATION
NAME: dem
AGE: 23
CONTACT: jigglyballs @plurk
CURRENT CHARACTERS: -
➦ CHARACTER INFORMATION
NAME: Superbia Squalo (but he only ever goes by "Squalo")
JOURNAL: sharktrash
AGE: 22
CANON: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
CANON POINT: after the end of the manga
BACKGROUND:
Wiki but it barely covers anything so strap yourselves in:
We know nothing about Squalo's childhood or parents, aside from the fact that he originates from Italy and his family had mafia relations, since he was attending a special school for mafia kids (same one as Dino). It is also mentioned that he was a child fencing prodigy. As a teen he quickly became famous for his bloodthirst and skill with the blade (during this time he also traveled the world challenging swordsmen and learning their techniques in order to create his own style), and by the time he reached 14, he was already scouted by the Varia, the elite assassination group for Vongola Familia. Around this time, he also met Xanxus, Vongola's current boss' (adopted) son for the first time in some kind of mafia gathering, and was immediately drawn to him ("his rage", as he so eloquently put it.Love loyalty at first sight).
Squalo agreed to enlist to Varia in exchange for a duel with their current boss, Sword Emperor Tyr. Nobody thought much of it but he did the impossible and killed the guy (yup, only at 14. He cut his own hand off to do it), and therefore became the prime candidate to become Varia's next boss. Instead of taking the position, though, he gave it to Xanxus, who subsequently became the boss of Varia with Squalo as his right hand man and the Second Sword Emperor. Xanxus already harbored the ambition to eliminate Vongola's Ninth boss and secure the position for himself, and Squalo swore loyalty to him, also promising not to cut his hair until that plan becomes reality. Because growing your hair out is something you do for your boss.
Very soon after that, Varia staged a coup, trying to assassinate the Vongola boss. It ultimately failed, and resulted with Xanxus being frozen in magical ice for eight years while the rest of the Varia stagnated, most likely having to deal with constant surveilance on their asses at least (I'm genuinely surprised they were not all shot, but apparently wiping out your own assassination squad is too much trouble). It seems as though most of their non-restrained efforts were put into waiting and trying to find ways to free Xanxus, as at least Squalo doesn't seem to have improved much over those eight years, his strongest move still being the one he used in his duel with Tyr. Also, he's become the Rapunzel we know today during his time, because he takes his dedication to his boss Very Seriously.
It's not very clear if it was Varia or some outside forces that managed to free Xanxus from his prison, but it finally happened, and Varia rejoiced. Or, more like, immediately moved to carry on another betrayal, this time aiming to eliminate both the Ninth and his chosen successor, the manga's protagonist Sawada Tsunayoshi from Japan. They somewhat followed protocol this time, that is, forging the Ninth's will (after sticking him into a machine that runs on a person's life force and using it as a lackey) which resulted in their and the protagonist's groups having a series of strictly protocoled duels over the seven Vongola rings of the Sky Flames. Yeah, you got it, they were pretty much villains.
Anyway, they somehow managed to eventually lose to a bunch of pre-teens, but after trying to take the rings by force, it turned out that the rings did not accept Xanxus and he almost died after putting one on (the official version is that he had no blood relation to the Ninth, but with how much he looks like Second, it's hard to believe. Most likely the Esteemed Ancestors still hovering inside the rings decided that he's too much of an asshole and they'd rather have Tsuna as a successor).
After that, they were all taken back to Italy, and for some reason, once again not dealt with in any consequential way (perhaps the Vongola decided that having their asses handed to them like this would finally Calm Their Tits, and it seems to have done just that). They proceeded to work for the Vongola and even aid the new generation at times, although Xanxus harbors resentment for Tsuna for the rest of the series, usually not even showing up at Vongola ceremonies that involve him. So they kinda go from villains to neutral. Never good. In a manga where the 'good' guys are friggin mafia, so you do the math.
Squalo takes his own loss a bit better; despite of almost dying (from falling into water and being torn into by a fucking SHARK) and spending some time in a wheelchair, he makes a full recovery and eventually forms something of a mentor-student relationship with the kid that defeated him.
A lot of other weird shit happens, everyone receives memories from the battle their future selves fight ten years in the future (including the Varia), which is also where the whole Squalo teaching (and beating up) Yamamoto originates from. I'm not covering that shit. In the end, it ends well, though Squalo almost dies again.
He does so once more toward the main storyline's end, having his heart pierced by a zombie-like enemy who cleans the floor with Allied Team's five strongest fighters in an attempt to shield Xanxus from harm. He Gets Better, though, because Mammon conjures up a replacement heart for him until they can find a donor, and he is last seen in a hospital, being bossed around as usual (running to the sundry shop 50 times, apparently, because Xanxus wanted biscuits or something and clearly Squalo could use the exercise).
He'll be coming to the game a few weeks after this, once he's pretty much recovered and back with the Varia but still on the waiting list for heart transplantation.
PERSONALITY:
The first thing to note is that Squalo is meant to embody the sin of Pride. Which he does, with the whole bouquet of traits that come with it: arrogance, narcissism, superiority complex, rudeness and the almost complete inability to feel shame. Even his loss to Yamamoto can be pinned primarily on the fact that he had opted to show off and play cat and mouse, absolutely assured of his win, rather than take him seriously and go all out from the start (upon discovering the boy only plans to use a particular sword style, he limits himself to only using the same thing rather than his own superior techniques), and then upon losing he prefers death to accepting another person's help, claiming it would 'taint his honor as a swordsman' (he ends up surviving despite being almost eaten by a shark, but it's a surprise to everyone including him). Showing off and playing are some of his favorite things. He enjoys fighting, so much that he'll actually seek to prolong the battle if he finds the opponent challenging or interesting enough. He lives for murder and mayhem, and while he does strive to win at all costs, a good fight is its own reward.
It was especially evident when he was younger; before Xanxus, he basically wanted to be the Supreme Ruler of Everything. He once told Dino that he would cut down anyone and everything until the world bowed down to him. Considering he had already defeated countless sword masters by then, it was obviously more than mere lip service; he was well on the path to his goal, so to speak, and he was doing it for himself like the proud creature he was. And that makes his development into the Squalo we know today exceptionally interesting. It all took a turnaround when he met Xanxus, easily the most important person in his life. All it took was a single glance and he "knew he couldn't defeat him", therefore deciding to follow him instead (yeah right, keep talking, teenage hormones). The person who would only ever do things for himself alone now had someone else in the equation: not only did he proceed to take pride in being Xanxus' subordinate, he also takes pride in Xanxus himself -- and he's still doing it out of his own pride as well. He gives the man the Varia, because he thinks he deserves it - he's fit to be #1, more so than anyone else, and Squalo is second only to him, best of the best, understanding him better than anyone else (or so he seems to believe).
Moreover, his dedication and loyalty to the man is fierce and absolute, despite the fact that he's treated like trash on a good day. He is pretty much a knight in that regard -- although he has no qualms about fighting dirty and finishing off people who are on the ground already. Rather than titles or positions, it is Xanxus' anger and raw power that he finds so "captivating", and even having that wrath turned on him only means that he gets to see it clearer, from up close. Even when he discovered the truth about his boss' heritage, he didn't falter, and knowing full well it was against the current law, tried to help him take Vongola back by force. Twice. He still believes that Xanxus will one day snap the rules that keep him from becoming the heir in half, and therefore he's still keeping his oath -- even if reasonable people would say that it's impossible to achieve -- and, yeah you guessed it, STILL not cutting his hair because his faith in Xanxus is absolute. (Though I'm sure they agreed trimming doesn't count at some point, as that hair would've been dragging 18 feet on the ground in the future otherwise.) It is also very likely that during those eight years Xanxus was frozen, Squalo has been routinely visiting him, just in case he remained aware and needed updates on the mafia world (or was lonely and needed reassurement that Varia's doing everything they can to let him out), despite the fact that seeing him like that would tear into his very being. This fanart illustrates pretty well what it might have been like.
That aside, while being violent, volatile and sadistic, Squalo is also very much a perfectionist. He tries to keep the Varia under control, (most of the time) will hold off of killing random people, and adhere to protocol where necessary. He is most likely well versed in all sorts of mafia-ey formalities, from discussions to silverware, and is generally good at what he bothers to do, because looking stupid is simply unthinkable. Likewise, he wouldn't bring shame to his familia with sloppy assassinations nor with clumsy footwork in the ballroom. It probably also helps that he absolutely loves his job, so it's both fun and profit.
Despite being intelligent enough to work as a Strategy Captain in the future, he is extremely impatient and impulsive, and seems to find it hard to be still for a longer periods of time (even his facial expressions for the first half of the series look like someone overdosed on coffee or high on cocaine, with a semi-permanent twitch in his cheek to boot). He can latch out with lethal violence at the slightest provocation or none at all (he beats two teens half to death because they got in his way of killing a third). However, he is still able to remain professional and will not needlessly get into a fight if he's not sure of his victory. However, if it's necessary, he's willing to go against bad odds unlike Varia as a whole, and is even capable of self-sacrifice as shown in the Future arc where he stays behind to fight Zakuro so the other group can retreat. Surprisingly enough, he's also capable of shedding off insults with little reaction - both because he's used to it thanks to Xanxus and because as Pride, he can automatically discard it as untrue and not worth getting riled up over. That's not to say that he won't occasionally lose his temper over complete shit, of course; prod him enough and he will explode.
Finally, it's important to note that his personality is LOUD. He definitely has a presence, and your eardrums and the shattered window glass will attest to that. He has no inside voice, and sounds like he's yelling even when he's just having a conversation. Basically, he can be "loud" or "LOUDER", and while he seems to be able to lower his voice to a (loud) whisper, he basically never does that. When he's actually trying to be loud, buildings might tremble. It's specifically noted that he is the #1 loudest mafioso in the world.
Squalo is the only Varia member who dares to call Xanxus out on his shit and generally talk back to him. This proves that he is not, in fact, as whipped as it might look at first sight; he is the one who allowed Xanxus to be his boss, and he happily stands by that decision, however he will occasionally remind everyone just why he is the second in command around here. At the same time, he does often resign himself to running errands and whatever other mundane orders Xanxus might toss his way, because hey, serving this guy is an honor.
Squalo seems to get along reasonably well with the other Varia members (if we remember that they all wish each other dead to an extent). He seems fairly friendly with Lussuria, who recorded his 100 sword battles on tape, despite occasionally calling him a "queer bastard" (and worse). He's annoyed by Mammon's greed for money, as he prioritizes fighting for glory, and Belphegor's irresponsibility. He and Levi seem to dislike each other the most, though, likely because of their clashing approaches to the boss, and seem eager to get rid of the other one way or another.
While he claims to think nothing of anyone but Xanxus, it's fairly evident that he not only relativelylikes tolerates (some of) his co-workers, but a few others as well. He knows the good-natured Dino Cavallone since school and despite occasionally insisting that he's weak, and stupid for caring about others, Squalo seems to be on fairly good terms with him. They also seem to have kept tabs on each other. Dino was very surprised to see him following Xanxus when his early dream had been becoming the strongest on his own, and he questions Squalo's life and choices when he's landed in the hospital after the Ring battles. It's essentially a "what did you see in him" intervention, which ultimately fails and Squalo suggests he pisses off. Despite the initially strained relationship, they are even seen casually chatting a few times as the series progress.
Another good example is Yamamoto Takeshi, the boy who defeated the Sword Emperor. Naturally, he also pisses Squalo off, whenever he talks about baseball and most notably when he tries to save him after the lost battle. However, as the series progresses, he seems to return the tiniest bit of respect that Yamamoto seems to have for him. Squalo reacts when he's not present in the inheritance ceremony, and seems to keep track of his battles. In the future, he is absolutely furious to learn Yamamoto has lost against Genkishi, and makes a spontaneous trip to Japan on the back of his pet shark to give him a thorough beating and then proceed to train him. Squalo also later attends the fight, claiming he's only there because he hopes to get some action himself, but he also seems quite pleased when the boy wins. It is likely that due to being defeated by him, he considers them honorbound, and therefore his own pride is tainted further if Yamamoto loses to someone. In the end, it appears that he's more or less willing to accept him as a protege... so long as he lays off the fucking baseball.
All in all... a thing to remember is that with all said and done, despite the like, one or two whole redeeming qualities, Squalo is not a good person. At all.
ABILITIES:
Swordsmanship. He is arguably (one of) the best sword users in his universe, due to both extreme natural talent and honing his skill through hard work. He has encountered and defeated countless sword styles in the process of creating his own. Him being left-handed also makes his swings harder to parry for most fighters.
He generally fights however and doesn't call out his attacks like a shounen retard, but a few of his signature moves do have names:
Prosthetic hand. Not exactly an ability, but together with the above it's part of his fighting style. He cut off his own hand to perfect it. Anyway, his left hand from the wrist is artificial (mostly metal), it opens at the wrist, being held in place just by the construction inside, and can turn along with the sword strapped to it almost 360 degrees. The hand itself also appears to be functional, as he can pick up and hold things in it with relative precision. (It would be nice if he could get a replacement once he inevitably fucks this one up, but having him go for a while without it could be a pretty good punishment.)
Physical abilities. And brawling. Okay so he's good (brilliant) with a longsword, but did you think he'll be helpless if you take that away? Naaah. He can throw a mean punch and take people out by dropkicking them in the head (sorry Gokudera). However his strength is by no means superhuman within the universe, so it's basically meant to be something anyone able could accomplish with enough training. He is also extremely fast, sometimes being no more than a blur when he fights and changing positions or circling the opponent almost instantly.
Assassination. As an elite assassin, he's also knowledgeable about the human anatomy and the weak/vital points, and probably knows at least 101 ways to kill someone with a pencil, even though he prefers the blade. Basically, he's Really Good At Killing, even if he's only got his bare hands to do it. Breaking necks would be relatively easy for him as well. He should also have at least working knowledge of using various tools from knives and stabby things to strangulation wire, as well as firearms, though he's likely not very proficient with those.
Battle strategy. He can quickly analyze and even learn opponent's moves just from seeing it, and counter them with something better even in the middle of fighting. (That's what they call Varia Quality). He's also capable of organizing (or helping to) large-scale pre-planned operations, and executing them.
Instinct. He's drawn to the smell of blood like a hungry shark, pretty much. He might sense fear and/or killing intent in other people (unless it's drowned out by his own because boy that shit's tuned to 100 24/7). He can also see through illusions to an extent, and quickly tell them from the real thing.
Rain Flames. Flames are the magic of the KHR-universe, you know, like chakra and stuff. His particular flame's attribute is "tranquility", and it can neutralize other flames or even paralyze human body parts. Specific rings are needed to actually emit those flames (Squalo uses the Varia Ring of Rain), with the exception of extremely rare Flame of Wrath. Despite the flame's calm nature that is so unlike Squalo's, he's very capable of using it for destruction, especially through his Box Weapon.
Box Weapon. Grande Pioggia Squalo (Heavy Rain Shark) - aforementioned box weapon, sort of like a pet/familiar/Pokemon for fighting. It summons a GIANT FLYING SHARK covered in Rain Flames which, despite what the Flame's attribute might tell you, is said to have one of the highest raw destructive power out of all Box Animals. Basically, he can run down walls with ease and has the ramming strength of a small battle ship. That aside, there's also his jaws, shark skin (even touching this shark can result in great damages, think really aggressive sandpaper or something, blood spurting from the contact area) and Rain Flames that cover his whole body and have all the properties mentioned above. Squalo can also ride on it, though it's not clear if he could take anyone else with without them experiencing the numbing effects from the contact to the flame.
Really Fucking Loud Voice. This may not be an ability in itself, but just in case -- he always, always sounds like he's yelling. His voice and presence is ranked as the loudest in the mafia world. And when he's actually trying to be loud, he can burst ear drums and crack window glass with his voice alone. Let's omit the 'shake buildings' as anime overdramatics, but you get the idea.
Cooking. Since he's pretty much the boss' bitch, he's well-versed in preparing various steaks and other luxury dishes, in the case of every available cook being killed or fired (it has happened in the past) and Xanxus still demanding his dinner.
Cheating death, tbh. Sure, anime is superior race and everyone is durable and has an endless blood supply, but getting torn into by a shark, having your arm ripped off and then your heart pierced through in a series where immortality doesn't exist, and still running around? Pretty impressive.
APPEARANCE:
#1 #2
182cm, 75kg, though he tends to look kind of thin compared to others. Most notable feature - long silver/white hair that reaches under his ass (but not quite to his knees just yet), cut with bangs. He's usually seen in his uniform. Left hand is a prosthetic, with a giant-ass sword strapped to it more often than not because WHAT IS SUBTLETY. Generally, you will hear him before you see him.
INVENTORY:
- his full Varia uniform (coat, gloves, pants, boots, belt, shirt, whatever undergarments he normally wears)
- his mecha hand (see: prosthetic hand)
- a spatha blade without a handle strapped to his arm
- Varia Ring of Rain
- Box Weapon: Grande Pioggia Squalo
- wallet, sattelite phone, pen with a Vongola crest
CONTRACT ARRANGEMENT:
It will pretty much have to be an outright lie, because there is literally nothing that could make Squalo leave Varia and most of all Xanxus behind. So let's say he got tricked with red tape, because that's the beauty of mafia world, right?
So with some help from Vongola people, Lussuria scouted a trustworthy private clinic, Xanxus gave his blessing (probably in the shape of the nth whiskey glass to the head), and Squalo packed up and went to finally get a goddamn heart that won't pop as soon as some asshole puts up an anti-Mist-interference barrier. At the reception, before being admitted or undressed or told to put his things down, he was given a form to sign, confirming that he agrees to undergo the operation. Sure, the receptionist slash nurse looked a bit shifty and had a tattoo peeking out from under her lab coat, but it's a fucking mafia clinic, that shit is normal there. Should've read the fine, fine print, huh?
ALIGNMENT:
Valletta, definitely. He's a hitman and a happy psychopath who LOVES his job. He will legit kill and torture for funsies. The messier the better.
ROLE:
1) assassin
2) enforcer
3) bodyguard
➦ SAMPLES
NETWORK: monad post
LOG: meme thread
NAME: dem
AGE: 23
CONTACT: jigglyballs @plurk
CURRENT CHARACTERS: -
➦ CHARACTER INFORMATION
NAME: Superbia Squalo (but he only ever goes by "Squalo")
JOURNAL: sharktrash
AGE: 22
CANON: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
CANON POINT: after the end of the manga
BACKGROUND:
Wiki but it barely covers anything so strap yourselves in:
We know nothing about Squalo's childhood or parents, aside from the fact that he originates from Italy and his family had mafia relations, since he was attending a special school for mafia kids (same one as Dino). It is also mentioned that he was a child fencing prodigy. As a teen he quickly became famous for his bloodthirst and skill with the blade (during this time he also traveled the world challenging swordsmen and learning their techniques in order to create his own style), and by the time he reached 14, he was already scouted by the Varia, the elite assassination group for Vongola Familia. Around this time, he also met Xanxus, Vongola's current boss' (adopted) son for the first time in some kind of mafia gathering, and was immediately drawn to him ("his rage", as he so eloquently put it.
Squalo agreed to enlist to Varia in exchange for a duel with their current boss, Sword Emperor Tyr. Nobody thought much of it but he did the impossible and killed the guy (yup, only at 14. He cut his own hand off to do it), and therefore became the prime candidate to become Varia's next boss. Instead of taking the position, though, he gave it to Xanxus, who subsequently became the boss of Varia with Squalo as his right hand man and the Second Sword Emperor. Xanxus already harbored the ambition to eliminate Vongola's Ninth boss and secure the position for himself, and Squalo swore loyalty to him, also promising not to cut his hair until that plan becomes reality. Because growing your hair out is something you do for your boss.
Very soon after that, Varia staged a coup, trying to assassinate the Vongola boss. It ultimately failed, and resulted with Xanxus being frozen in magical ice for eight years while the rest of the Varia stagnated, most likely having to deal with constant surveilance on their asses at least (I'm genuinely surprised they were not all shot, but apparently wiping out your own assassination squad is too much trouble). It seems as though most of their non-restrained efforts were put into waiting and trying to find ways to free Xanxus, as at least Squalo doesn't seem to have improved much over those eight years, his strongest move still being the one he used in his duel with Tyr. Also, he's become the Rapunzel we know today during his time, because he takes his dedication to his boss Very Seriously.
It's not very clear if it was Varia or some outside forces that managed to free Xanxus from his prison, but it finally happened, and Varia rejoiced. Or, more like, immediately moved to carry on another betrayal, this time aiming to eliminate both the Ninth and his chosen successor, the manga's protagonist Sawada Tsunayoshi from Japan. They somewhat followed protocol this time, that is, forging the Ninth's will (after sticking him into a machine that runs on a person's life force and using it as a lackey) which resulted in their and the protagonist's groups having a series of strictly protocoled duels over the seven Vongola rings of the Sky Flames. Yeah, you got it, they were pretty much villains.
Anyway, they somehow managed to eventually lose to a bunch of pre-teens, but after trying to take the rings by force, it turned out that the rings did not accept Xanxus and he almost died after putting one on (the official version is that he had no blood relation to the Ninth, but with how much he looks like Second, it's hard to believe. Most likely the Esteemed Ancestors still hovering inside the rings decided that he's too much of an asshole and they'd rather have Tsuna as a successor).
After that, they were all taken back to Italy, and for some reason, once again not dealt with in any consequential way (perhaps the Vongola decided that having their asses handed to them like this would finally Calm Their Tits, and it seems to have done just that). They proceeded to work for the Vongola and even aid the new generation at times, although Xanxus harbors resentment for Tsuna for the rest of the series, usually not even showing up at Vongola ceremonies that involve him. So they kinda go from villains to neutral. Never good. In a manga where the 'good' guys are friggin mafia, so you do the math.
Squalo takes his own loss a bit better; despite of almost dying (from falling into water and being torn into by a fucking SHARK) and spending some time in a wheelchair, he makes a full recovery and eventually forms something of a mentor-student relationship with the kid that defeated him.
A lot of other weird shit happens, everyone receives memories from the battle their future selves fight ten years in the future (including the Varia), which is also where the whole Squalo teaching (and beating up) Yamamoto originates from. I'm not covering that shit. In the end, it ends well, though Squalo almost dies again.
He does so once more toward the main storyline's end, having his heart pierced by a zombie-like enemy who cleans the floor with Allied Team's five strongest fighters in an attempt to shield Xanxus from harm. He Gets Better, though, because Mammon conjures up a replacement heart for him until they can find a donor, and he is last seen in a hospital, being bossed around as usual (running to the sundry shop 50 times, apparently, because Xanxus wanted biscuits or something and clearly Squalo could use the exercise).
He'll be coming to the game a few weeks after this, once he's pretty much recovered and back with the Varia but still on the waiting list for heart transplantation.
PERSONALITY:
The first thing to note is that Squalo is meant to embody the sin of Pride. Which he does, with the whole bouquet of traits that come with it: arrogance, narcissism, superiority complex, rudeness and the almost complete inability to feel shame. Even his loss to Yamamoto can be pinned primarily on the fact that he had opted to show off and play cat and mouse, absolutely assured of his win, rather than take him seriously and go all out from the start (upon discovering the boy only plans to use a particular sword style, he limits himself to only using the same thing rather than his own superior techniques), and then upon losing he prefers death to accepting another person's help, claiming it would 'taint his honor as a swordsman' (he ends up surviving despite being almost eaten by a shark, but it's a surprise to everyone including him). Showing off and playing are some of his favorite things. He enjoys fighting, so much that he'll actually seek to prolong the battle if he finds the opponent challenging or interesting enough. He lives for murder and mayhem, and while he does strive to win at all costs, a good fight is its own reward.
It was especially evident when he was younger; before Xanxus, he basically wanted to be the Supreme Ruler of Everything. He once told Dino that he would cut down anyone and everything until the world bowed down to him. Considering he had already defeated countless sword masters by then, it was obviously more than mere lip service; he was well on the path to his goal, so to speak, and he was doing it for himself like the proud creature he was. And that makes his development into the Squalo we know today exceptionally interesting. It all took a turnaround when he met Xanxus, easily the most important person in his life. All it took was a single glance and he "knew he couldn't defeat him", therefore deciding to follow him instead (yeah right, keep talking, teenage hormones). The person who would only ever do things for himself alone now had someone else in the equation: not only did he proceed to take pride in being Xanxus' subordinate, he also takes pride in Xanxus himself -- and he's still doing it out of his own pride as well. He gives the man the Varia, because he thinks he deserves it - he's fit to be #1, more so than anyone else, and Squalo is second only to him, best of the best, understanding him better than anyone else (or so he seems to believe).
Moreover, his dedication and loyalty to the man is fierce and absolute, despite the fact that he's treated like trash on a good day. He is pretty much a knight in that regard -- although he has no qualms about fighting dirty and finishing off people who are on the ground already. Rather than titles or positions, it is Xanxus' anger and raw power that he finds so "captivating", and even having that wrath turned on him only means that he gets to see it clearer, from up close. Even when he discovered the truth about his boss' heritage, he didn't falter, and knowing full well it was against the current law, tried to help him take Vongola back by force. Twice. He still believes that Xanxus will one day snap the rules that keep him from becoming the heir in half, and therefore he's still keeping his oath -- even if reasonable people would say that it's impossible to achieve -- and, yeah you guessed it, STILL not cutting his hair because his faith in Xanxus is absolute. (Though I'm sure they agreed trimming doesn't count at some point, as that hair would've been dragging 18 feet on the ground in the future otherwise.) It is also very likely that during those eight years Xanxus was frozen, Squalo has been routinely visiting him, just in case he remained aware and needed updates on the mafia world (or was lonely and needed reassurement that Varia's doing everything they can to let him out), despite the fact that seeing him like that would tear into his very being. This fanart illustrates pretty well what it might have been like.
That aside, while being violent, volatile and sadistic, Squalo is also very much a perfectionist. He tries to keep the Varia under control, (most of the time) will hold off of killing random people, and adhere to protocol where necessary. He is most likely well versed in all sorts of mafia-ey formalities, from discussions to silverware, and is generally good at what he bothers to do, because looking stupid is simply unthinkable. Likewise, he wouldn't bring shame to his familia with sloppy assassinations nor with clumsy footwork in the ballroom. It probably also helps that he absolutely loves his job, so it's both fun and profit.
Despite being intelligent enough to work as a Strategy Captain in the future, he is extremely impatient and impulsive, and seems to find it hard to be still for a longer periods of time (even his facial expressions for the first half of the series look like someone overdosed on coffee or high on cocaine, with a semi-permanent twitch in his cheek to boot). He can latch out with lethal violence at the slightest provocation or none at all (he beats two teens half to death because they got in his way of killing a third). However, he is still able to remain professional and will not needlessly get into a fight if he's not sure of his victory. However, if it's necessary, he's willing to go against bad odds unlike Varia as a whole, and is even capable of self-sacrifice as shown in the Future arc where he stays behind to fight Zakuro so the other group can retreat. Surprisingly enough, he's also capable of shedding off insults with little reaction - both because he's used to it thanks to Xanxus and because as Pride, he can automatically discard it as untrue and not worth getting riled up over. That's not to say that he won't occasionally lose his temper over complete shit, of course; prod him enough and he will explode.
Finally, it's important to note that his personality is LOUD. He definitely has a presence, and your eardrums and the shattered window glass will attest to that. He has no inside voice, and sounds like he's yelling even when he's just having a conversation. Basically, he can be "loud" or "LOUDER", and while he seems to be able to lower his voice to a (loud) whisper, he basically never does that. When he's actually trying to be loud, buildings might tremble. It's specifically noted that he is the #1 loudest mafioso in the world.
Squalo is the only Varia member who dares to call Xanxus out on his shit and generally talk back to him. This proves that he is not, in fact, as whipped as it might look at first sight; he is the one who allowed Xanxus to be his boss, and he happily stands by that decision, however he will occasionally remind everyone just why he is the second in command around here. At the same time, he does often resign himself to running errands and whatever other mundane orders Xanxus might toss his way, because hey, serving this guy is an honor.
Squalo seems to get along reasonably well with the other Varia members (if we remember that they all wish each other dead to an extent). He seems fairly friendly with Lussuria, who recorded his 100 sword battles on tape, despite occasionally calling him a "queer bastard" (and worse). He's annoyed by Mammon's greed for money, as he prioritizes fighting for glory, and Belphegor's irresponsibility. He and Levi seem to dislike each other the most, though, likely because of their clashing approaches to the boss, and seem eager to get rid of the other one way or another.
While he claims to think nothing of anyone but Xanxus, it's fairly evident that he not only relatively
Another good example is Yamamoto Takeshi, the boy who defeated the Sword Emperor. Naturally, he also pisses Squalo off, whenever he talks about baseball and most notably when he tries to save him after the lost battle. However, as the series progresses, he seems to return the tiniest bit of respect that Yamamoto seems to have for him. Squalo reacts when he's not present in the inheritance ceremony, and seems to keep track of his battles. In the future, he is absolutely furious to learn Yamamoto has lost against Genkishi, and makes a spontaneous trip to Japan on the back of his pet shark to give him a thorough beating and then proceed to train him. Squalo also later attends the fight, claiming he's only there because he hopes to get some action himself, but he also seems quite pleased when the boy wins. It is likely that due to being defeated by him, he considers them honorbound, and therefore his own pride is tainted further if Yamamoto loses to someone. In the end, it appears that he's more or less willing to accept him as a protege... so long as he lays off the fucking baseball.
All in all... a thing to remember is that with all said and done, despite the like, one or two whole redeeming qualities, Squalo is not a good person. At all.
ABILITIES:
Swordsmanship. He is arguably (one of) the best sword users in his universe, due to both extreme natural talent and honing his skill through hard work. He has encountered and defeated countless sword styles in the process of creating his own. Him being left-handed also makes his swings harder to parry for most fighters.
He generally fights however and doesn't call out his attacks like a shounen retard, but a few of his signature moves do have names:
- Attacco di Squalo (Attack of the Shark): A shockwave attack which turns a powerful blow into an oscillating wave that rings throughout the opponent's body, paralyzing them for a short period of time.
- Zanna di Squalo (Fang of the Shark): Squalo thrusts his sword forward multiple times. Basil states that it was "chewing away at the air in front of him".
- Scontro di Squalo ‘‘(Charge of the Shark): Squalo slices diagonally in front of him, tearing away the water as he charges forward.It also seems to create a shock-wave like effect enabling him to hit a target out of his reach.
Prosthetic hand. Not exactly an ability, but together with the above it's part of his fighting style. He cut off his own hand to perfect it. Anyway, his left hand from the wrist is artificial (mostly metal), it opens at the wrist, being held in place just by the construction inside, and can turn along with the sword strapped to it almost 360 degrees. The hand itself also appears to be functional, as he can pick up and hold things in it with relative precision. (It would be nice if he could get a replacement once he inevitably fucks this one up, but having him go for a while without it could be a pretty good punishment.)
Physical abilities. And brawling. Okay so he's good (brilliant) with a longsword, but did you think he'll be helpless if you take that away? Naaah. He can throw a mean punch and take people out by dropkicking them in the head (sorry Gokudera). However his strength is by no means superhuman within the universe, so it's basically meant to be something anyone able could accomplish with enough training. He is also extremely fast, sometimes being no more than a blur when he fights and changing positions or circling the opponent almost instantly.
Assassination. As an elite assassin, he's also knowledgeable about the human anatomy and the weak/vital points, and probably knows at least 101 ways to kill someone with a pencil, even though he prefers the blade. Basically, he's Really Good At Killing, even if he's only got his bare hands to do it. Breaking necks would be relatively easy for him as well. He should also have at least working knowledge of using various tools from knives and stabby things to strangulation wire, as well as firearms, though he's likely not very proficient with those.
Battle strategy. He can quickly analyze and even learn opponent's moves just from seeing it, and counter them with something better even in the middle of fighting. (That's what they call Varia Quality). He's also capable of organizing (or helping to) large-scale pre-planned operations, and executing them.
Instinct. He's drawn to the smell of blood like a hungry shark, pretty much. He might sense fear and/or killing intent in other people (unless it's drowned out by his own because boy that shit's tuned to 100 24/7). He can also see through illusions to an extent, and quickly tell them from the real thing.
Rain Flames. Flames are the magic of the KHR-universe, you know, like chakra and stuff. His particular flame's attribute is "tranquility", and it can neutralize other flames or even paralyze human body parts. Specific rings are needed to actually emit those flames (Squalo uses the Varia Ring of Rain), with the exception of extremely rare Flame of Wrath. Despite the flame's calm nature that is so unlike Squalo's, he's very capable of using it for destruction, especially through his Box Weapon.
Box Weapon. Grande Pioggia Squalo (Heavy Rain Shark) - aforementioned box weapon, sort of like a pet/familiar/Pokemon for fighting. It summons a GIANT FLYING SHARK covered in Rain Flames which, despite what the Flame's attribute might tell you, is said to have one of the highest raw destructive power out of all Box Animals. Basically, he can run down walls with ease and has the ramming strength of a small battle ship. That aside, there's also his jaws, shark skin (even touching this shark can result in great damages, think really aggressive sandpaper or something, blood spurting from the contact area) and Rain Flames that cover his whole body and have all the properties mentioned above. Squalo can also ride on it, though it's not clear if he could take anyone else with without them experiencing the numbing effects from the contact to the flame.
Really Fucking Loud Voice. This may not be an ability in itself, but just in case -- he always, always sounds like he's yelling. His voice and presence is ranked as the loudest in the mafia world. And when he's actually trying to be loud, he can burst ear drums and crack window glass with his voice alone. Let's omit the 'shake buildings' as anime overdramatics, but you get the idea.
Cooking. Since he's pretty much the boss' bitch, he's well-versed in preparing various steaks and other luxury dishes, in the case of every available cook being killed or fired (it has happened in the past) and Xanxus still demanding his dinner.
Cheating death, tbh. Sure, anime is superior race and everyone is durable and has an endless blood supply, but getting torn into by a shark, having your arm ripped off and then your heart pierced through in a series where immortality doesn't exist, and still running around? Pretty impressive.
APPEARANCE:
#1 #2
182cm, 75kg, though he tends to look kind of thin compared to others. Most notable feature - long silver/white hair that reaches under his ass (but not quite to his knees just yet), cut with bangs. He's usually seen in his uniform. Left hand is a prosthetic, with a giant-ass sword strapped to it more often than not because WHAT IS SUBTLETY. Generally, you will hear him before you see him.
INVENTORY:
- his full Varia uniform (coat, gloves, pants, boots, belt, shirt, whatever undergarments he normally wears)
- his mecha hand (see: prosthetic hand)
- a spatha blade without a handle strapped to his arm
- Varia Ring of Rain
- Box Weapon: Grande Pioggia Squalo
- wallet, sattelite phone, pen with a Vongola crest
CONTRACT ARRANGEMENT:
It will pretty much have to be an outright lie, because there is literally nothing that could make Squalo leave Varia and most of all Xanxus behind. So let's say he got tricked with red tape, because that's the beauty of mafia world, right?
So with some help from Vongola people, Lussuria scouted a trustworthy private clinic, Xanxus gave his blessing (probably in the shape of the nth whiskey glass to the head), and Squalo packed up and went to finally get a goddamn heart that won't pop as soon as some asshole puts up an anti-Mist-interference barrier. At the reception, before being admitted or undressed or told to put his things down, he was given a form to sign, confirming that he agrees to undergo the operation. Sure, the receptionist slash nurse looked a bit shifty and had a tattoo peeking out from under her lab coat, but it's a fucking mafia clinic, that shit is normal there. Should've read the fine, fine print, huh?
ALIGNMENT:
Valletta, definitely. He's a hitman and a happy psychopath who LOVES his job. He will legit kill and torture for funsies. The messier the better.
ROLE:
1) assassin
2) enforcer
3) bodyguard
➦ SAMPLES
NETWORK: monad post
LOG: meme thread